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Seth pulled out a chair next to him for Clary. “How was he doing his job, then?”
“Luck?” Zane shrugged and held out his hand for the phone as Clary sat. “His partner picked up the slack? I have no idea. I never understood why a man like him was still a detective.”
“You worked with him once?”
“Two days, then I was done. I kicked him out. A girl was missing, and there he was, fumbling around the station.” Zane’s chest rose again before falling sharply. “He rattled on non-stop about irrelevant things and just wasted everyone’s time.”
“You got him fired, didn’t you?” Seth asked.
“I wish I had,” Zane said. “He messed up big time. Someone called in with a vital tip, and he didn’t record it because ‘his gut told him’ that it wasn’t a real tip. He didn’t even bother telling anyone.”
Clary leaned forward. “What happened to the girl?”
Zane didn’t reply, and she sighed.
Seth rubbed a hand down Clary’s back. “How did you find out about the tip?”
“One of the suspects told us. He said he called in with a tip. He thought the police would rescue the girl, but we never showed up.”
“I’m so sorry,” Clary said. “But it wasn’t your fault.”
Zane shrugged a shoulder and pushed the phone back to Seth. “So this is probably about me. I’ll pay him a visit tomorrow.”
“Forget it.” Clary took the phone. “I’ll just block his number. No need to deal with morons like that.”
Seth glanced over at her.
“Really. I’m fine.” She looked at Zane. “Just forget it. Ron’s right. There’s no need to engage with people like that.” She gave Seth a small smile. “I’ll go change.” She rubbed a hand up and down her leg.
“I’m sorry. Oliver must’ve adjusted the thermostat.”
“It’s okay.” She waved it off and headed back toward her room.
She stared at the text message as she went up the stairs. Swiping left, she was about to delete the message when she hesitated.
Her thumb hovered over the red trash icon.
This wasn’t about her. This was just Pete Laker trying to get back at Zane.
That explained everything.
So why was she finding it so difficult to delete the ridiculous messages?
CHAPTER 4
“Door’s not locked,” Clary said when someone knocked on the door. She’d changed out of her shorts and into a pair of faded light blue jeans. The temperature in the apartment was always set so cold.
She’d need to grab some sweatpants from the mansion.
The door opened, and Seth stepped in. “You’re supposed to lock your door.”
“During the day too?”
“Make it a habit.”
She chuckled, not understanding his concern with her locking the door. “I won’t freak out over Oliver’s sleepwalking.”
Seth closed the door behind him. “It hasn’t happened in a while, but sometimes he gets night terror. When that happens, he can get violent. Once, it took Zane and me to pin him down.”
